Folding square.



A. H. STERNER.

FOLDING SQUARE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11, 1914.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

RS 60.. PHDTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. c,

To all whom it may concern A UNITED STATES PATENT onmon.

ALFRED I-I. STERNER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING SQUARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 17, 1914. Serial No. 812,808. r

Be it known that I, ALFRED HENRY S'rnnnnu, citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Squares, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved folding square and has for its principal object to provide a carpenters or mechanics square which may be compactly folded whereby the same may be conveniently carried in the pocket, valise or tool box.

Another and more particular object of the invention resides in the provision of a two-part square. one of the parts being provided with a lug or extension pivotally mounted in a recess provided in the other part whereby said parts may be disposed in parallel relation in engagement with each other or the first named member moved to a position at right angles with respect to the latter part, and means for connecting the parts of the square when the same is in condition for use.

My invention has for a further general object to simplify and improve the-construction of devices of the above character which render the same strong, durable, and serviceable in practical use, and capable. of manufacture at comparatively small cost.

lVith the above and other objects in view as will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a square embodying the present invention in its preferred form showing the parts as arranged in position for use. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the square folded. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a slightly modified form of the invention. Fig. 5 is a view of the modified form of-the square folded.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 indicates the body of the blade of the square, one end of which is obliquely cut on a 45 angle as shown at 6. Extending inwardly upon one face of this blade from said 0bliquely cut end thereof and adjacent the shorter longitudinal edge of the plate is a recess 7. e

S designates the foldable arm of the square, and this arm at one of its ends is also cut on an angle of -1l5 as shown at 9 and is adapted to closely engage or abut the obliquely inclined end edge 6 of the plate 5 when said arm is in its open or extended position. The plate 5 and the arm 8 are formed of brass or other suitable metal of the requisite thickness and an opening 10 extends through the arm 8 in a direction at right angles to its length, one end of said opening being exposed upon the obliquely inclined edge 9 of the arm. In this opening the end of a laterally projecting plate 11 is tightly fitted or secured. The other end of this plate projects beyond the shorter longitudinal edge of the arm 5 and the extremity thereof is rounded as shown. This rounded projecting end of the plate 11 is pivotally mounted asat 14L in the recess 7 Patented Oct. 2c, 1914.

formed in the blade 5, and the projecting end of said plate is of such thickness that one face thereof is flush with the corresponding face of the blade 5. It is however to be understood that instead of utilizing the separate plate -11 and securing the a same in the arm 8 as above stated, the said plate or extension may comprise an integral part of the arm.

As clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, when the square is in condition for use, the arm 8 extends at right angles to the blade 5 from one end thereof, the obliquely inclined end edges 6 and 9 of the blade and arm respectively being closely engaged and the extension of the plate 11 fitting in and entirely occupying the longitudinal recess 7 in the blade 5. The blade 5 and arm S are securely held in such relati ve positions by means of a hook 12 pivotallv mounted upon the blade 5 and engageable with a pin 13 fixed in the arm 8. Vv'hen the parts are so arranged, the device can be freely manipulated by the mechanic in the same manner as the ordinary one piece square. After using the tool. and it is desired to pack the same away in a tool box or valise or carry the samein a pocket, it is only necessary to disengage the hook 12 from the eye 13 and fold the arm 8 intudinal edge of the blade 5, in the manner shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. In this position of the parts the plate 11 extends out of the recess 7 at right angles to the blade 5. With the parts arranged in this manner it will be apparent that the square may be conveniently packed in a very small space in the tool box or carried in the pocket. The blade 5 and arm 8 are preferably of the same length so that when said arm is in its folded position as in Fig. 2 and the corresponding end edges of said arm and blade are disposed in the same plane whereby the edge may serve the purpose of a rule, and the obliquely inclined edge 6 of the blade 5 serves as a guide for the pencil in drawing a miter line.

In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings I have illustrated a slightly modified form of the invention wherein the arm 8 has its end cut on an oblique angle only across a part of its width as shown at 9, said obliquely inclined edge of the arm being adapted to engage with a correspondingly inclined edge 6 of the same extent on the end of the blade 5. The ends of the inclined edge 9 of the arm terminate upon the opposite longitudinal edges of the laterally disposed plate 11 and the reduced end of the arm 8 is extended beyond the outer edge of the plate 11 in the form of a rectangular lug 15 which is adapted to abut against the square edge or shoulder 16 on the end of the blade 5 which extends at right angles to the longitudinal edge of said blade. In this modified form of the invention, I have illustrated the plate 11 as being seated in a recess 17 in one face of the blade which corresponds in depth to the thickness of said plate. The plate 11 is riveted or otherwise secured to the blade 8 as in dicated at 18. A hook and eye or other equivalent means is also provided in this latter form of the invention to connect the parts in the operative position of the device.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction and several advantages of my invention will be clearly and fully understood. Owing to the extreme simplicity of therefore reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

llhat is claimed is:

The herein described folding square including a blade and an arm, the corresponding ends of said blade and arm being obliquely cut on an angle of 4:5 for abutting engagement with each other, said blade being provided in one face with an elongated longitudinally extendingrecess opening upon the shorter longitudinal edge of said blade and upon the obliquely inclined end thereof, said arm being provided with a transversely extending opening, a laterally projecting plate having a reduced portion disposed within said opening, the thicker outer end portion of said plate being pivotally mounted in the recess in said blade and disposed flush with the face of said blade and the corresponding face of said arm, said outer end portion of the plate when the arm is disposed at right angles to the blade being located wholly within the recess in the blade, a hook on said blade, and an eye on the arm to receive said hook whereby the arm is held in its open position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aliix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED H. STERNER.

lVitn esses WILLIAM H. STERNER, ARTHUR A. S'rnnxnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington. D. C." 

